The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T is official: A 5G smartphone for less than €300
Xiaomi has just launched two mid-range smartphones, the Redmi Note 9T and Redmi 9T, this Friday, January 8th as part of a global launch event. The Redmi Note 9T, notably, is the first smartphone from Xiaomi's budget range to feature 5G support.
The Redmi Note 9T will be available in 4GB RAM variants with 64 or 128GB storage starting January 25, 2021, with the prices pegged at 229.90 and 269.90 euros, respectively. The Redmi 9T, on the other hand, will be offered in the same memory/storage configurations but will set buyers back by 169.90 and 199.90 euros, respectively. You will, however, need to wait until March 15 to buy the Redmi 9T.
Redmi Note 9T 5G: What you need to know
The Redmi Note 9T features the SoC MediaTek Dimensity 800U, an octa-core chipset based on a 7 nm manufacturing process with clock speeds that go up to 2.4GHz. This processor gets the with the Mali G-57 GPU and 4GB of RAM as with UFS 2.21 storage.
The SoC has an integrated 5G modem and Xiaomi focuses on the integration of multiple antennas (without specifying the number) as well as 4x4 MIMO technology. This technology is already well known in the telecom market and consists, roughly explained, of multiple antennas on the transmitter and receiver side.
This results in several simultaneous data streams and more available bandwidth. By analogy, this technology can be likened to a switch from a national highway to a multi-lane highway. You increase the volume of vehicles that can be driven and thus significantly improve traffic capacity.
The Redmi Note 9T is equipped with a triple camera module at the rear with a 48 MP wide-angle main lens, a depth sensor and a 2 MP macro lens each. While we expect the main 48MP sensor to deliver decent images, the same coat be said of the other two modules given their low resolution.
For spec hounds, here are the details of all the cameras used on the Redmi Note 9T:
- 48 MP main lens: 1/2" sensor size, 1.6μm/ with 4-in-1 Super Pixel binning pixel/ aperture f/1.79/ auto focus
- 2 MP depth sensor: 1.75µm pixel size/ f/2.4 aperture
- 2 MP macro lens: 1.75µm pixel size/ aperture f/2.4
- 13 MP selfie lens: 1.12μm pixel size/ f/2.25 aperture
The Redmi Note 9T gets a 6.53-inch FHD+ display in the 19:5:9 format and happens to be protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 5. Xiaomi claims a maximum brightness of 450 nits. There is a 'punch-hole' at the top left corner to accommodate the front camera.
At the back, the manufacturer has opted for a matt and textured coating with slight inclinations at the edges of the smartphone. The Redmi Note 9T is available in two colours: Nightfall Black and Daybreak Purple. On the right side, on at the edges, there is a fingerprint scanner.
The phone also features a large 5000 mAh battery that supports 22.5 Watt fast charging. And yes, there is a charger supplied in the box. The Redmi Note 9T comes in two colours: Nightfall Black and Daybreak Purple. Other highlights include support for Widevine L1, dual-SIM capability, and a 3.5 mm port.
The Xiaomi Redmi 9T: Best phone under 200 euros?
The Redmi 9T is a less technically ambitious version of the Redmi Note 9T which does not integrate a 5G modem. It is pretty powerful and features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC with a Kyro 260 octa-core CPU that clocks up to 2 GHz. For graphics, there is the Adreno 610 GPU.
As with the Note version, the Redmi 9T has 4 GB RAM and UFS 2.1 storage for the 64 GB version and UFS 2.2 for the 128 GB variant. The chipset is based on the older 11 nm process.
The Redmi 9T is equipped with a quad camera setup at the rear with a 48 MP wide-angle main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and the duo of 3D/macro sensors of 2 MP each.
Camera specs of the Redmi 9T
- 48 MP wide-angle main lens: 1/2" sensor size, 1.6μm/ pixel binning 4-in-1 Super Pixel/ aperture f/1.79/ autofocus
- 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens: 120° field of view or FOV / f/2.2 aperture
- 2 MP macro lens: 1.75μm pixel size/ aperture of f/2.4
- 2 MP depth sensor: 1.75μm pixel size/ f/2.4 aperture 75μm/ f/2.4 aperture
- 8 MP selfie lens: pixel size 1.12μm/ aperture f/2.05
Xiaomi adds that the Redmi 9T features a new Movie Frame function that gives photos "a cinematic look without post-processing" Another interesting feature is the Time Lapse mode that offers different shutter speed and exposure time values to give accelerated effects to the shots.
The design of the Redmi 9T differs slightly from the Redmi Note 9T even though it has the same 6.53-inch Full HD+ screen. The difference is that this one has a droplet notch centred at the top rather than a punch-hole and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The manufacturer claims a maximum brightness of 400 nits.
On the back, the camera module is not circular as seen on the Redmi Note 9T but arranged in a rectangular island vertically aligned arrangement at the top left. The coating on the back also appears to be textured.
The Redmi 9T integrates a very large 6000 mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging been though the charger itself is capable of delivering power 22.5 Watts. Xiaomi also offers the reverse wire charging feature that effectively transforms the Redmi 9T into a power bank.
The Redmi 9T features Widevine L1 DRM, is a dual-SIM phone with a micro-SD slot to expand the internal storage up to 512 GB. The Redmi 9T is available in 4 colours: Carbon Gray, Twilight Blue, Sunrise Orange and Ocean Green.
